An 11-year-old New York girl killed in a drive-by shooting while buying milk at a Syracuse store Monday night has been identified.
The girl is Brexialee Torres-Ortiz, according to a law enforcement source and family social media posts.
Brexialee was shot as she was heading home at 7:43 p.m. after buying a gallon of milk at the Food King store at the intersection of Oakwood Avenue and Martin Luther King East. The store is across from Dr. King Elementary School.
A car pulled up to the intersection and someone inside the vehicle began firing shots at a 19-year-old man who was standing outside, Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile said Monday night at the scene.
Brexialee was shot in the midsection and rushed to Upstate University Hospital, where she died, said Lt. Matthew Malinowski, a spokesperson for Syracuse police. The girl’s mother was at the hospital, the chief said.
The 19-year-old was shot in the leg and driven to the hospital, he said. He is expected to survive. He appeared to be the target of the shooting, Cecile said.
Police believe Brexialee lived just around a block away from the store, Cecile said Monday night. The gallon of milk she was carrying could be seen spilled on the ground behind the police crime tape.
Neighbors and family members watched from behind the crime scene tape as investigators worked. Screams and sobs broke through the quiet night as the family learned what had happened.
Police on the scene walked family members through the crime scene tape to an apartment just feet away from the scene of the murder. At least five evidence markers were spread out in the street.
Police have not released any information about the suspect vehicle. The chief said they believe that more than one person was inside the car involved in the shooting.
The chief asked that anyone with information about the shooting reach out to the police department at 315-442-5222 or anonymously at TIP 411.
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